I have developed some fairly light loads in the past.Originally Posted by RevolverJIM
Usually using 180 grain wadcutters.
A 180 grain wadcutter in Mag brass can be run up to fairly good speeds with not much recoil and have good accuracy in typical 50 yard and in type ranges.
To drift this just a little bit, where does .44 Colt fit in the Russian/Special/Mag family tree? Is it a heeled bullet like .22 LR?
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Sorry to resurrect a dead thread, but as I am in the process of acquiring a .44 Special Blackhawk, I’ve been reading every .44 Special gun and ammunition thread and came across this unanswered query.
The .44 Colt and .44 Remington have nothing to do with the .44 Russian/Special/Magnum family of cartridges. The .44 Colt is a transitional cartridge for Colt C&B conversions, whether they were converted after manufacture or were manufactured new for the cartridge. Like S&W’s .44 American, they are outside lubricated, heeled bullet designs.
The S&W .44 Russian cartridge came about when the Russian government analysis of the S&W revolver and ammunition submitted for a purchase contract was chambered in the .44 American, and they wanted a more durable inside lubricated bullet. S&W didn’t change the case - they changed the bullet design and diameter to a .429 inside lubricated bullet, and that’s where the .44 Russian came from. The Special is a lengthened Russian, and the Magnum is a lengthened Special.
So you can see, the .44 Colt has nothing to do with the S&W cartridge design family tree or designations.
So you can see, the .44 Colt has nothing to do with the S&W cartridge design family tree or designations in its original form...
The current iteration of the 44 Colt is used similar to the 44 Russian and Spl in some of the available arms, such as the Richards conversion on the Colt 1860 Army frame, and some are so marked as suitable for all 3. Some are marked as only 44 Colt but I believe are otherwise identical to the guns marked with all 3. The 44 Colt marked guns appeal to many traditionalist cowboy type shooters.
Starlines page for 44 Colt brass equates it to 44 spl with slightly shorter length and a smaller rim.
https://www.starlinebrass.com/44-colt-brass
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Midway has Starline Russian brass back in stock, limit 2 bags (200 pieces total).
Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits - Mark Twain
Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy / Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Seems like that modern 44 Colt and 44 Russian have a lot in common?
Right. I mean, what gun company wants to deal with still another different barrel and chamber spec and what ammo company or handloader wants to deal with heel bullets?
So we have something we call a .44 Colt with the convenience of the .44 Special.
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What's the advantage to just shooting .44 specials? Is it a "Just because" thing? or is there a legitimate advantage? I looked them up and the Russians are almost twice the price. Just wondering is its a nostalgia type thing or not (which if it is I totally understand).
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